About Cheryl: Cheryl Dyrithe Barnes is a jazz singer of remarkable depth, range and technique, her voice described as “emotionally lush, vibrant, lovely.” Ms. Barnes is also the quintessential performer who, with an unerring sense of how to create a musical and personal rapport, has wowed audiences world-wide, whether in intimate club settings or on concert stages. From the beginning, it was about the music. Growing up, her Cleveland home resonated with the sounds of Ella, Nat, and Ellington. Cheryl can’t remember a time when she wasn’t singing. She was, she says, always singing. When asked why: “I sing because I must. I am compelled from within, the force sometimes ebbing, often flowing, the rhythm of it all out of my hands. I follow where it leads; it is an essential part of my being.” Her classical vocal training – starting at nine and continuing through college - lead to appearances with symphony orchestras in Denver, Florida and Wisconsin. The rigorous program reinforced her innate abilities and enabled her to move with ease between musical genres. But for Cheryl, all led back to jazz. Of her first jazz gig in high school she says, “It felt natural,” like being home. Known principally as a jazz singer, Cheryl's versatility encompasses many musical genres.